Pot times July 18, 2005

Bad Guys' Money, Good Cause: Crimes' Cash Helps Kids

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1143/a08.html
Newshawk: Herb

Pubdate: Mon, 18 Jul 2005
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2005 Orlando Sentinel
Contact: insight@orlandosentinel.com
Website: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325
Author: Gary Taylor, Sentinel Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

BAD GUYS' MONEY, GOOD CAUSE: CRIMES' CASH HELPS KIDS, COPS

Cooper Small Has Learned The Rewards Of Reading.

The 10-year-old Longwood Elementary School student, who enters fifth grade next month, has brought home prizes, including a skateboard and board games, for participating in the school's reading program.

Trish Small had no idea that drug dealers were helping pay for her son's goodies.

"Oh, that's funny," Small said when she learned that the Longwood Police Department helps underwrite the program with money seized from illegal activities.  On the other hand, she has no problem using bad guys' money to reward good kids.  "That works for me," she said.

Incentives for elementary-school students are just one way law-enforcement agencies spend millions of dollars a year in seized money and from the sale of seized property.  Most is tied to illegal-drug activities, though vehicles and equipment used in a wide range of crimes are commonly taken through court proceedings.

The majority of the money is used to improve police services and to give officers additional tools to do their jobs, such as police dogs, weapons and motorcycles.

Police and sheriff's agencies in Central Florida spent $2.63 million in seizure trust funds during the fiscal year that ended Sept.  30.  That was slightly more than half the money available.

Statewide, law-enforcement agencies collected $29.3 million and spent almost $32 million during the same period.  In most years, a balance is carried into the next period.

For Seminole County agencies, much of the money comes from the City-County Investigative Bureau, which focuses much of its efforts on illegal drugs.  Seminole's seven municipal police departments and the Sheriff's Office each get a share of the forfeited money.

Most recently, the eight agencies banded together to contribute $250,000 toward a classroom and driver-training facility for officers.  The facility, being planned in conjunction with Seminole Community College, will be near Geneva.  The contribution from each agency varied based on its size.  Casselberry contributed $16,471, for example, and Altamonte Springs gave $27,647.

"The trust fund is really very important to us," Casselberry Deputy Chief Jim Ruf said.  There is great satisfaction, he said, in knowing his department is paying for needed equipment and training without going to taxpayers.

Central Florida agencies collected $2.43 million for the fiscal year that ended Sept.  30 -- from $35 that went to the Volusia County Beach Police to $457,502 that went to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.  During that year, Central Florida agencies spent sums ranging from $586 by the Melbourne Beach Police Department to $403,863 by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Agencies can't replace worn-out equipment with the trust fund or use the money to offset normal budget expenses.  Instead, they must use it for enhancements.

Several years ago, for example, Casselberry tapped more than $40,000 from its trust fund to upgrade from revolvers to semiautomatic handguns for its officers.  That might not have been possible -- or certainly couldn't have been done all at once -- if the agency had to ask the City Commission for that much money, Ruf said.

More recently, his department armed its officers with Taser stun guns and put video cameras in six of its patrol cars.

Agencies file reports twice a year to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and state statutes require that 15 percent of the money go back to the community, for programs such as crime prevention, safe neighborhoods and schools, including school resource officers.

Contributing $2,000 to Longwood Elementary helps meet that requirement, Longwood police Chief Tom Jackson said.  Students earn points for their reading and use the points to buy items such as school supplies and bike helmets.

Many agencies use trust-fund money to underwrite Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs.  That might involve paying for a graduation ceremony at a local school or helping buy T-shirts for students who complete the program.

The Leesburg Police Department used trust-fund money to help take six busloads of DARE students to an Orlando Magic basketball game.

"The kids were absolutely great," said Officer Scott Mack, who helped chaperone last season's trip.  "They were just so happy to be there.  It was a lot of fun."

There's another benefit, Mack said: "It's an awesome opportunity for us as law-enforcement officers to get to spend time with the kids."

The Leesburg department also reached out to underprivileged children this past year by donating $2,500 to a scholarship fund at the Leesburg Recreation Department.

Youngsters who couldn't afford fees were able to participate in activities such as swimming lessons and team sports, assistant recreation director Troy Houtman said.

Houtman also said he was surprised to learn the source of the money but said he thinks it's fitting that so many children benefit from the illegal cash.

"I never thought about where the money came from," he said.

Meanwhile, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office used almost $65,000 from its trust fund for a communications system for its Hostage Negotiation Unit and Special Response Team.

The Oviedo Police Department last year spent more than $53,000 on four motorcycles.

"It's a great feeling to know that the community didn't have to pay for them," said Lt.  William Poff, who heads the agency's traffic unit.

Motorcycles are easier to maneuver on busy highways, but the department didn't buy them to increase the number of tickets that officers write, Poff said.

No matter what officers drive, "you can write tickets all day long," Poff said.  "If you want to educate and change driving habits, you have to get their attention."

Motorcycle officers frequently stop to talk about their vehicles and end up discussing traffic safety and law, turning a chance meeting into a traffic-education experience, Poff said.

This year, the biggest expenditure from the trust fund will be establishing a police office at Oviedo Marketplace mall.

"There will be displays, demonstrations and hands-on stuff," Oviedo police Cmdr.  Marc Beaulieu said.